Tesla's Sales Jumped in the First Quarter, Bucking Industry Trend Again

[Zorro]

Source: New York Times

The electric carmaker maintained its momentum from last year even as larger automakers continue to struggle with parts shortages.

Tesla, the world’s leading electric car company, on Saturday reported a steep increase in worldwide sales in the first three months of the year as it overcame supply chain problems and moved closer to production levels on a par with established luxury carmakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Tesla said it delivered 310,000 vehicles from January through March, up from 185,000 cars during the same period in 2021, roughly in line with Wall Street’s expectations. The nearly 70 percent increase was in contrast with major carmakers like General Motors and Toyota, which reported big sales declines on Friday because of shortages of key components.

The increase in the first quarter builds on Tesla’s momentum from last year, when it nearly doubled sales, to just short of 1 million cars, and overtook Volvo and Subaru. Tesla has coped better with an industrywide shortage of computer chips because its mastery of software allowed it to substitute chips that were available for ones that are scarce.

The first-quarter sales were “a positive step in the right direction for the next step of the Tesla growth,” Daniel Ives and John Katsingris of Wedbush Securities said in a note on Saturday, though they acknowledged that some analysts had expected more.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/02/business/tesla-sales-electric-vehicles.html

[cstanleytech]

1. I read and article that said when battery dies on those things that its almost the price of a new

car such as a regular gasoline Kia Soul.
If true then I honestly do not foresee most consumers choosing to buy a Tesla while they have other options.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Makes sense, but I will say I don't know what to believe

I've heard batteries are better off with slow charging. And that Tesla have many more body parts than your average car. Bolted and bolted rather than unibody welded. And that leads to higher costs. Free marketers think consumers will find and reward the efficient. How do you do this when things are so complicated?

[Miguelito Loveless]

10. Most charging with EVs is done "slow"

You generally only need fast charging on the road going for distance. Also, I have seen Teslas used as taxis which only fast charge and they had 85% capacity at 375K miles. They are expensive to repair after accidents, but the price is coming down.

That said, aside from cheap to fuel and maintain, they are incredibly robust in accidents. People have walked away from accidents that would have been fatal in other cars.

[Hoyt]

3. The battery is typically guaranteed for 8 years or 100K miles.

Tesla says battery will typically go 200K miles.

Cost to replace seems to be between $13K and $20K. Seems reasonable if you don’t want/have to buy gas.

[ffr]

4. When does the battery ever die on these? I own one and it is rock solid

9 years and still going strong. I feel sorry for people who buy into the false claims about Teslas pushed by RW fossil-fuel owned media. There are many reasons to dump ICE vehicles.

I was skeptical too. But the reliability and performance is bucking everything the naysayers trumpet.

[cstanleytech]

12. Well if it's like most batteries it depends on how you handle it as

for some it’s better to keep a charge between 20% to 80% rather than charge it to full so as to maximize the batteries lifespan.

[Miguelito Loveless]

7. Anti EV nonsense

I have been driving EVs for 8 years without a battery failure. They are warranted for 100-120K miles, including motors and charging hardware.

[cstanleytech]

14. " Anti EV" Actually I am more anti automobile and would

rather see a shift towards building a huge all electric rail system and trolley system in our country for mass transit. Probably won’t happen in my lifetime though as to many shortsighted people want their cars be it gas, diesel or electric.

[Miguelito Loveless]

16. Well,

You transit the city with the vehicles you have, not the mass transit you don’t. I personally would use buses and such (I loved them when I lived in Europe), but they are scarce in this country outside major urban areas. In the meantime I am pushing my local school system to ditch their ICE buses.

[ffr]

5. Because, Fuck Putin and dead-end Internal Combustion.

The future, for now, are EVs.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. EV sales are gong to explode

[JohnSJ]

13. Not if republicans win, and not unless infrastructure gets built, battery technology improves,

and the price comes down.

Also, Those who live in apartments it is not particularly practical. In those situations hybrids make more sense

[paleotn]

15. Expense and relative short range will keep that from happening....

Funny thing is, if one can afford a Tesla, a jump in gas prices like we've seen recently isn't that much of a drag financially. And if it is a real hardship, chances are one can't afford a Tesla.

[kimbutgar]

8. I want to buy an hybrid or EV in the future

But I can’t stomach paying for a Tesla and helping Elon Musk. Can’t stand the guy.

[melm00se]

9. With an entry level

cost of $43k (but really ~$48K) that vehicle is more than I want to spend on a car which is a major depreciating asset.

[JohnSJ]

11. No more tax credit on Tesla's, so expect to pay a minimum of 50K, all the way to greater than 75K.

The vehicle for the everyday person

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Competitors to Tesla do exist

Mullen Automotive, Lordstown Motors, Lucid to name a few. There are more than 30.
https://builtin.com/transportation-technology/electric-car-companies

Post WWI, as internal combustion replaced horsepower on farms, there were more than 600 manufacturers of farm tractors, some of them steam driven.